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itions of humanity。
My Uncle Cephas's library was stored with a large variety of pleasing literature。 I did not observe a glut of theological publications； and I will admit that I felt somewhat aggrieved personally when； in answer to my inquiry； I was told that there was no ‘‘New England Primer'' in the collection。 But this feeling was soon dissipated by the absorbing interest I took in De Foe's masterpiece； a work unparalleled in the realm of fiction。
I shall not say that ‘‘Robinson Crusoe'' supplanted the Primer in my affections； this would not be true。 I prefer to say what is the truth； it was my second love。 Here again we behold another advantage which the lover of books has over the lover of women。 If he be a genuine lover he can and should love any number of books； and this polybibliophily is not to the disparagement of any one of that number。 But it is held by the expounders of our civil and our moral laws that he who loveth one woman to the exclusion of all other women speaketh by that action the best and highest praise both of his own sex and of hers。
I thank God continually that it hath been my lot in life to found an empire in my heart no cramped and wizened borough wherein one jealous mistress hath exercised her petty tyranny； but an expansive and ever…widening continent divided and subdivided into dominions； jurisdictions； caliphates； chiefdoms； seneschalships； and prefectures； wherein tetrarchs； burgraves； maharajahs； palatines； seigniors； caziques； nabobs； emirs； nizams； and nawabs hold sway； each over his special and particular realm； and all bound together in harmonious cooperation by the conciliating spirit of polybibliophily！
Let me not be misunderstood； for I am not a woman…hater。 I do not regret the acquaintancesnay； the friendshipsI have formed with individuals of the other sex。 As a philosopher it has behooved me to study womankind； else I should not have appreciated the worth of these other better loves。 Moreover； I take pleasure in my age in associating this precious volume or that with one woman or another whose friendship came into my life at the time when I was reading and loved that book。
The other day I found my nephew William swinging in the hammock on the porch with his girl friend Celia； I saw that the young people were reading Ovid。 ‘‘My children；'' said I； ‘‘count this day a happy one。 In the years of after life neither of you will speak or think of Ovid and his tender verses without recalling at the same moment how of a gracious afternoon in distant time you sat side by side contemplating the ineffably precious promises of maturity and love。''
I am not sure that I do not approve that article in Judge Methuen's creed which insists that in this life of ours woman serves a probationary period for sins of omission or of commission in a previous existence； and that woman's next step upward toward the final eternity of bliss is a period of longer or of shorter duration； in which her soul enters into a book to be petted； fondled； beloved and cherished by some good manlike the Judge； or like myself； for that matter。
This theory is not an unpleasant one； I regard it as much more acceptable than those so…called scientific demonstrations which would make us suppose that we are descended from tree…climbing and bug…eating simians。 However； it is far from my purpose to enter upon any argument of these questions at this time； for Judge Methuen himself is going to write a book upon the subject； and the edition is to be limited to two numbered and signed copies upon Japanese vellum； of which I am to have one and the Judge the other。
The impression I made upon Uncle Cephas must have been favorable； for when my next birthday rolled around there came with it a book from Uncle Cephasmy third love； Grimm's ‘‘Household Stories。'' With the perusal of this monumental work was born that passion for fairy tales and folklore which increased rather than diminished with my maturer years。 Even at the present time I delight in a good fairy story； and I am grateful to Lang and to Jacobs for the benefit they have conferred upon me and the rest of English…reading humanity through the medium of the fairy books and the folk tales they have translated and compiled。 Baring…Gould and Lady Wilde have done noble work in the same realm； the writings of the former have interested me particularly； for together with profound learning in directions which are specially pleasing to me； Baring…Gould has a distinct literary touch which invests his work with a grace indefinable but delicious and persuasive。
I am so great a lover of and believer in fairy tales that I once organized a society for the dissemination of fairy literature； and at the first meeting of this society we resolved to demand of the board of education to drop mathematics from the curriculum in the public schools and to substitute therefor a four years' course in fairy literature； to be followed； if the pupil desired； by a post…graduate course in demonology and folk…lore。 We hired and fitted up large rooms； and the cause seemed to be flourishing until the second month's rent fell due。 It was then discovered that the treasury was empty； and with this discovery the society ended its existence； without having accomplished any tangible result other than the purchase of a number of sofas and chairs； for which Judge Methuen and I had to pay。
Still； I am of the opinion （and Judge Methuen indorses it） that we need in this country of ours just that influence which the fairy tale exerts。 We are becoming too practical； the lust for material gain is throttling every other consideration。 Our babes and sucklings are no longer regaled with the soothing tales of giants； ogres； witches； and fairies； their hungry； receptive minds are filled with stories about the pursuit and slaughter of unoffending animals； of war and of murder； and of those questionable practices whereby a hero is enriched and others are impoverished。 Before he is out of his swaddling… cloth the modern youngster is convinced that the one noble purpose in life is to get； get； get； and keep on getting of worldly material。 The fairy tale is tabooed because； as the sordid parent alleges； it makes youth unpractical。
One consequence of this deplorable condition is； as I have noticed （and as Judge Methuen has； too）； that the human eye is diminishing in size and fulness； and is losing its lustre。 By as much as you take the God…given grace of fancy from man； by so much do you impoverish his eyes。 The eye is so beautiful and serves so very many noble purposes； and is； too； so ready in the expression of tenderness； of pity； of love； of solicitude； of compassion； of dignity； of every gentle mood and noble inspiration； that in that metaphor which contemplates the eternal vigilance of the Almighty we recognize the best poetic expression of the highest human wisdom。
My nephew Timothy has three children； two boys and a girl。 The elder boy and the girl have small black eyes； they are as devoid of fancy as a napkin is of red corpuscles； they put their pennies into a tin bank； and they have won all the marbles and jack… stones in the neighborhood。 They do not believe in Santa Claus